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redhairedashreads's review
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
When a prickly SEAL rescue diver comes to Safe Harbor to help with the cold case Holden and Monroe are working on, Holden finds himself offering to become his roommate when his RV breaks down and he needs to stay long term. As Holden gets to know the prickly SEAL he finds himself falling for the hurt man who is learning about his sexuality and to love again.
This was a very enjoyable story that was filled with a lot of emotions. Holden uses humor to disguise his insecurities and chronic pain, but with Cal he reveals his true self. I like that we are finally getting to see the real Holden and that he finally starts showing his true self to his friends by the end of the book. Cal is a veteran who has PTSD, survivors guilt and is struggling with the loss of his best friend. He is also a very independent man who struggles with asking for help so we see him spend a lot of this book struggling with his need for closeness but fear of losing it again, which is understandable coinciding what he went through.
These two had a beautiful relationship that was all about comfort and healing, but also some steamy sex with bondage. I love that this relationship was all about consent, asking for what you want pleasure wise, and exploring your sexuality since it's relatively new to Cal. It was just a beautiful relationship that showed that consent is key and I loved how Holden let Cal set the pace for the sexual aspects of the relationship.
Overall, this was a very good addition to this series. I really loved this couple and look forward to seeing what will happen next after that epilogue. Also, I am very interested in seeing what will happen with the cold case next.
TW: chronic pain; PTSD, survivor’s guilt, and insomnia; death of a friend during a dive mission discussed; grief; death of parents mentioned;
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
allingoodtime's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a grumpy/sunshine story, which is something I always love, but Holden is having a difficult time keeping his sun shining lately. Being the guy in the wheelchair, the class clown, and the eternal optimist is a lot of pressure. Holden is an extrovert and loves being around people, but his chronic pain as well as a recent bout of loneliness has made it harder to keep on his happy face. He’s so used to bringing joy, he doesn’t want to let anyone down or have anyone pity him. He thinks nobody can see through him when his smile is just a bit too bright and his jokes are just a bit too forced…until Cal comes to town.
Cal is a lone wolf. He’s never had much of a family, so he made his own family in the Navy. Becoming a SEAL gave him the connections he was always missing growing up, but he lost that “found family” in one fell swoop and hasn’t had the desire to try again. Cal feels like even when he had a found family, it was obvious he was easy to discard so why bother? There is instant chemistry between Cal and Holden. While Cal tries to put distance between them, Holden doesn’t back down. Soon they are roommates trying to ignore the obvious sparks.
There is a scene early on that is the catalyst for Holden and Cal finally giving in to their desires which is fantastically good. I was honestly embarrassed for these fictional characters to the extent that I was blushing, and I rarely blush. You’ll see it coming. You know what’s going to happen, but you cannot stop it from happening. Very well written. It’s funny, endearing, mortifying, and so darn hot.
While Holden is sweet and pretty level-headed, even he has some unresolved issues to work through when it comes to relationships. Even though both men hold everything so close to the chest with others, they are extremely open and honest with each other in most things. Cal has so many self-esteem issues but Holden is patient and quite good at expressing his admiration for Cal.
There is the continuation of the murder mystery cold case from the first book, Bring Me Home, running throughout this story. And the next (final?) book will finally bring Worth home to deal with his mother’s death all those years ago and hopefully give Sam his HEA. While this is a series with that as yet unfinished storyline, I believe these stories can also be read as standalone books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Grief
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